Becky: [The lesson] showed me that I really
need to stay informed of what’s going on in the world, what’s
going on in the news, [and] how people are reacting to it because I didn’t
know anything about racial profiling, and I didn’t have any opinions.
If I were to vote, I would see if my representative agreed with it or
didn’t and that would influence my decision. As a citizen, I’ll
know what’s expected of me if I’m ever arrested and I’ll
know what the cops are allowed to do and what they’re not allowed
to do and I’ll know what other people are going through. Even if
I don’t become a lawyer, I’ll know how lawyers argue or I’ll
know my rights and other people’s rights.

Joseph: I think [the lesson] gives you a
broader perspective on being a citizen because it helps you realize
that as a
citizen you should be more informed about [how] the country is run. This
class helps you see the way that this country is--like what the law
of
the land is and how the country is supposed to be run.

Rayad: I am a first-generation American. My
dad tells us every day we’re lucky to be growing up here in America.
We have a lot of different things that he didn’t have when he was
growing up and to always appreciate it, to strive for it but also never
forget where you came from. It’s an important thing just to appreciate
life. In my family, my little brother and I [get] more [of a] sense of
citizenship from our parents because they didn’t have the things
that we have. They didn’t have the opportunities that we have.

I think a duty of every citizen is to stay informed. By staying informed,
you stay involved in your community. You understand what’s going
on around you, and one of the most important things is to be aware.

I’ve heard the [citizenship] test is tough. My dad sponsored my
aunts who used to live in South America. They all had to apply for citizenship.
My grandmother did, my grandfather, my cousins who were born in South
America. They said it was a tough test. They studied for it, and I think
that people who end up taking the citizenship test know more about America
than the citizens do themselves because they really have to be prepared
for that test.